HARARE: Having negotiated the first hurdle in their campaign to justify Test nation status by beating Bangladesh in a one-off Test two weeks ago, Zimbabwe now face a much higher fence on Thursday - Pakistan.The single Test match, which starts Thursday, will be followed by three ODI's and two Twenty-20s.Zimbabwe was granted a return to Test cricket by the ICC last year after a gap of six years. They had been obliged to field a weak side following a strike of nearly all their professionals and two consequent Test defeats by an innings and more than 200 runs. Withdrawal from Tests was inevitable and those years have been used to rebuild. With just what success is now under the microscope with three successive tours by Bangladesh, followed by Pakistan and in October/November New Zealand.These opponents are considered by the ICC to be ones a nascent Zimbabwe can best cope with.
